Hooka Rig Question

[gettinthere]

Received a reply today from Thomas regarding the 1020 compressor:

Thank you for contacting Thomas. Unfortunately the 1020's are not available. We recommend you find an alternate supplier.

[fstbttms]

I called a local Thomas repair facility this morning, looking for rebuild kits. They told me that nothing (compressors or parts) will be available from Thomas until spring.

[gettinthere]

fst

does that imply compressors will be available at some point later in the first half of the year? I don't need a rig till late summer, I can wait

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

does that imply compressors will be available at some point later in the first half of the year?

Yes it does.

[Ramona]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Commercial-grade breathing hose is always black. The yellow stuff is the cheap, stiff stuff frequently used in recreational gear. Either are safe to breath through. You want to stay away from pneumatic tool hose.

Mild steel reserve tanks are not suitable for use in a marine environment. Reserve tanks should always be plastic, stainless or non-existant.

In Australia the Commercial grade breathing hose for hookahs is always yellow. Its a visiblity thing along with the flag. After heaps of research I have found that the the short length of black hose the builders of hookahs use is heat resistant steam hose, either plain or SS coated. The makers of hookahs for the commercial abalone divers use petrol engine driven compressors and incorporate large diameter ss pipe frames to mount it all. The frame acts as the air reserve tank and is connected by flexible ss hose although some of the custom builds have a longer fixed pipe I presume is copper.
My workshop compressor uses a copper pipe between the compressor and the tank. Radiators in cars always used to be copper to dissipate heat. To my mind the black hose is just going to pass the hot air further down the pipe before it cools. I think I will stick with my original plan and use a metre of 3/8 copper pipe coiled up in the airflow from the cooling fan, then a filter /separator, then the hookah hose. The hose in the water will obviously cool the air, its just the first few inches from the compressor head I'm concerned about.

[fstbttms]

You're missing the point. Your copper cooling coil is going to get very hot if it is attached directly to the compressor head. Not only will this drastically reduce any potential cooling, but now you have a large, dangerously hot piece of metal right in your work area. And it will transmit that heat to your breathing hose, drying it and causing it to crack. This is the only reason heat dissipation hose is used, not because your air will be too hot to breath (which will not happen, even without a heat dissipation hose.)

[Ramona]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

You're missing the point. Your copper cooling coil is going to get very hot if it is attached directly to the compressor head. Not only will this drastically reduce any potential cooling, but now you have a large, dangerously hot piece of metal right in your work area. And it will transmit that heat to your breathing hose, drying it and causing it to crack. This is the only reason heat dissipation hose is used, not because your air will be too hot to breath (which will not happen, even without a heat dissipation hose.)

I agree the first few inches will get hot. I had planned to have the copper coiled up fairly close to the compressor head. How does the black rubber hose dissipate the heat?

[fstbttms]

I think the heat dissipation hose is simply made of materials that can withstand high temperatures. Regular breathing hose is not.

[SandySea]

Ok guys....something related to hookahs and in my case, application to cleaning the bottom of ones boat. I have been doing this on my boat for years and actually got into diving because I got fed up with the way the diver was cleaning my bottom. I am now a PADI OWSI and for the past five years or more, this is my setup for my boat at the dock:

1. Husky Oilfree compressor - (Home Depot) $99 on sale at times for $89 (on my 2nd one now)
2. Cheap orange air compressor (ac) hose - (Home Depot) $10
3. Various fittings - (Home Depot) $6
4. Basic First Stage Regulator (three foot HP hose - the one that comes with it) hooked up to cheap orange (ac) hose.
5. Dryer...goes between and connects the ac hose to the compressor air outlet (take water out of the air coming out of the compressor) - (Home Depot) $16

Now I don't go any deeper than about 10 feet but for cleaning the bottom of the boat it's work great and can be easily ran off a Honda 2000 generator. Could I go down 30 feet..don't see why not but in my case I use it strictly for the boat cleaning...and I only clean my boat. Some of the local divers who do this stuff for a living on the side love it and made their won base on this. Actully got this idea out of a sailing mag years ago and use the same recommended setup.

For more serious stuff my wife and have our tanks and high-end equipment to play in the water.

Point here is that you do not have to spend a forture to make your own hookah but I would recommend that anyone that does this be a certified diver so you know what to do if you run into trouble. Cheers!

...Larry...

[fstbttms]

You are preaching to the choir regarding homebuilt hookahs. Been earning my living with them for 16 years.

BTW- cannot advocate your use of cheapo hardware store pneumatic tool hose. You should only breath through Grade-E breathing hose. What you are using may actually be poisoning you.

[gettinthere]

there are tons of cheap options if you have plenty of space. But I'm prepping for extended livaboard cruising and want a small compressor to carry. The compressors with tank are too big for my taste. Thomas 1020 is the smallest solution I've seen

[Ramona]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I think the heat dissipation hose is simply made of materials that can withstand high temperatures. Regular breathing hose is not.

I've taken your advice. Went into the hose specialist shop I have dealt with for the past 25 years for gear for my commercial fishing vessel. Same place I bought the hookah hose from. When I asked for the hose suitable for the heat hose, thinking it was going to be heat resistant steam hose, he said certainly not, that's stuff is toxic. He sold me a metre of general purpose hose, same stuff that's all through the engine room on my old boat. Red outside with a black liner. Strange how one black hose is toxic and another not. With this hose when operating the brass joiner will be under water so all the hookah hose will stay cool. If it needs replacing every so often no hardship.

What is scary is what is being sold by some hookah assemblers, Check out this link from an unhappy camper.

DIVE SYSTEMS OWNERS FORUM == SHARE YOUR PROBLEMS AND EXPERIENCES =============================================

[gettinthere]

what was interesting about that report is the last entry from Hookamax...

Do you realize that you are breaking numerous international, as well as, laws specific to your own jurisdiction. Firstly, you do not own a Hookamax dive system
, nor do we have anything you do with your customer service on the product you purchased.
Secondly, you have illegally stolen intellectual property (our picture) belonging to Hookamax Dive Systems and posted it on your "so called" website.
Then to top it off, you have attempted to extort moneys from us and or, Dive Systems Australia by threatening slander, which falls under international and jurisdictionally specific statutes on extortion.
We have saved and documented your email, as well as your initial website design as evidence of your illegal actions.
Any refund you wish for is between you and Dive Systems Australia, we will be forwarding your email to Dive Systems Australia.
Thanks for your attention in this matter,
Hookamax Management.

A rather aggressive attack from the US maker of Hookamax. One would expect hookamax to attack the Aussie seller of the system, not this unfortunate buyer.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Ramona

He sold me a metre of general purpose hose, same stuff that's all through the engine room on my old boat.

Here's the bottom line- if the hose you are breathing through is not specifically graded as breathing hose, you may be poisoning yourself. In any hookah system you should only use Grade-E breathing hose or equivalent.

I don't know what you bought, but I doubt it meets the Austrailian government's standards for breathing hose. FYI.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

One would expect hookamax to attack the Aussie seller of the system, not this unfortunate buyer.

I would suspect that they ARE going after the Aussie seller of the system, but ALSO going after this buyer because he is the one who has put up a website that includes copyrighted material and is bad-mouthing the Hookamax product. At least, if I were the owner of Hookamax, I would certainly be going after both.